A Time to Kill Essay Example for Free

A Time to Kill Essay A young black girl is walking down on a road on her way home from the store. Two white males in a truck drive up slowly behind her back and aggressively pick up the girl and rape her. She is found almost dead and rushed to the hospital. The two rapist was arrested and bring in to jail. On the way to the hearing right outside the courtroom, the father of the black girl steps out and fires 3 shot which killed the 2 suspects. The father was arrested and put into jail. The town is split into two sides. One side understands Carl because a lot of fathers would have done same thing in his situation, but on the othere side that contained most of the town people want him to be punished in the gas chamber. Jake Brigance, a young and idealistic, inexperience white lawyer is hired by a murderer, of the two rapist, who raped her daughter. Brigance an easy going liberal white lawyer in town, whose client always leaves without payment. Carl Lee Hailey, a black, charged of two counts of murder in the first degree, trapped in a judicial system that is greatly swayed by the racism of the world beyond. Jake Brigance as lead council, one of the few white southerners was given the impossible task proving that Mr. Hailey, innocent. Impossible, because of a mostly white county, and for a reason of win-at-all cost prosecutor, the racism and hypocrisy of the Mississippi citizens and judicial system. He intends to defend the accused with a plea of not guilty by insanity, trying to convince the jurors that Carl Lee had a momentary lapse in sanity after the rape incident. Jake Brigance becomes Hailey’s lawyer and realizes how complicated it is to deal with such a famous client. Jake and his wife, Carla are at first excited at first about seeking Jake on the news so much during pre-trial happenings. The excitement quickly ends. He has to fight against the District Attorney who wants to use this sensational issue to make him become famous. The case got national attention and a lot of different organizations get involved. Situation starts a lot of commotion with in the community, people who are against Jake defending Carl try to disappoint and hurt him and his family. In order to secure the welfare of his family they have to leave town. The trial begins amid much attention to the media and residents of the county- specifically the large black population. The highlight is when 2 psychologists on the defendant side and one on another. It was a big point for his client. He never gives up on Carl Lee’s case even if his life is at stake until the time came the final verdict. The courthouse is packed to see the attorneys’ closing speeches. Carl Lee comes out on the courtroom a free man. Jake Brigance is a person who wants change the judicial system, no matter what your race and what is the color of your skin justice should prevail. A father who wants to protect and seek justice for her daughter is a part of every human, that’s what Jake had felt so he accepted this case even if his client is black. In the final argument in the court which Jake’s character also believe that anybody who’s on his position would do exactly what his dealing. He believes that justice taking its natural place on earth. Jake feels compelled to take the case out of his conscience and guiltiness over an action he may have been able to stop, the shooting of the two white suspects. Jake a defender of the downtrodden, and despite to defend his client by any means possible, the fact that he knows that Carl Lee’s actions were premeditated is troubling for his character’s integrity. He believes that no matter how much the world tries to say they celebrate their diversity or look past the differences, you have to look no farther than a small county to see its truth. Jake and Carl became a good friend true and without prejudice.

Factors to consider when designing a web site Essay Example for Free

Factors to consider when designing a web site Essay Due to the high rate of competition and technology advance, any website creating company aims at giving its costumers a product they will enjoy using. Lafleur trading company a website developing company is not left behind i doing so. In their quest to satisfy their customers they needed to upgrade their way of developing website. To enable them do this lafleur reflected on factors to consider when designing a website. To start with, the company realised they need to find out if they are designing a particular website who was their immediate users, what they would expect to find in that particular web site and the easiness of getting what they want. This will be determined by the interphase of the website that is what colours to use, how easy is it to navigate between lafleur website and any related website that might contain contact information about a product advertised in their website (Vu Proctor, 2011). Designing a unique product is an important point to consider. In order to get attention of many audience give them a different product than what they are used to but one that serves the purpose better than the previous one. This can be achieved by use of different colours but attractive ones ( a page should not contain more than three colours) use of graphics and relevant pictures of what you are advertising also will make the web site more user friendly The most important point to put inconsideration is to test your website for errors. Website should be consistent to use and error prone. Contact information pertaining the website should provided so that customers are able to access online information when they so require. Lastly feedback methods to get customers views should be put in place to get customers potion about websites designed by Lafleur Company. Reference Vu, K.-P. L., Proctor, R. W. (2011). Handbook of human factors in Web design. Boca Raton: CRC Press Source document

Examining Stress And Burnout For Law Enforcement Criminology Essay

Examining Stress And Burnout For Law Enforcement Criminology Essay This paper explores stress and burnout for law enforcement officers and correctional staff, the various causes of it, the effects, and possible solutions. Both law enforcement officers and correctional staff are possibly the most stressful occupations, and stress is a constant factor and part of each of these jobs. There are numerous causes of stress that include shift work, excessive overtime, organizational structure, and family problems. The effects of stress can be tremendous on both law enforcement and correctional officers. It can affect their overall mental and physical health, as well as their quality of life. It can eventually even lead to burnout. Stress and burnout not only affect the individual, but also family and friends, co-workers, and the organization. Over the past years, numerous research studies have been conducted on stress in both the law enforcement field and corrections that report similar findings for the causes of stress and its effects. While not all stress factors for law enforcement officers and correctional staff can be eliminated, there are possible solutions for mitigating the effects of stress that can improve their lives, mental and physical health, lower their changes of suicide, decrease divorce, and decrease burnout. Stress and Burnout for Law Enforcement and Corrections: A look at the Causes, Effects and Possible Solutions Stress and burnout occur in all different types of jobs and careers. However, some vocations are more prone to job stress and burnout than others are. Both police officers and correctional officers are exposed to work environments that are characterized by high levels of stress. Stress and burnout for both police officers and correction workers can greatly affect the field of criminal justice. According to Karen Hess (2009), stress can be both positive and negative, and this stress or excitement is why many police officers enter the law enforcement field (p. 464). Any given day, a police officer may have to shoot someone, be shot at, chase down a robber, deal with child abuse, and see death. Additionally, a correctional officer may also have to encounter a violent prison conflict or riot, encounter dangerous offenders and numerous other potentially dangerous situations. With the increasing prison population and never end sprees of crime, the stress for correctional officers and polic e officers is also increasing. Both law enforcement and the correctional field are widely considered some of the most stressful occupations, and both are associated with high divorce rates, alcoholism, suicide and other emotion and health problems. According to O. Ramos (2010), stress in the law enforcement field is unique because it is a constant factor with only changes in the degree and duration of the stress. Over the years, numerous research studies and projects have been performed to investigate how stress affects police officers and correctional workers physical and mental health by agencies such as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the National Institute of Justice. Through this research and studies, researchers have been able to indentify stress factors that are unique and more pronounced in these career fields, as well as their effects on the lives, jobs and the field of criminal justice. Stress can have numerous causes and can differ from individual to individual. According to Lambert, Hogan, Hiang, and Jenkins (2009, July), stressors are conditions that place excessive demands on an individual and can lead to discomfort, strain and conflict for the individual. While both the police officers and correctional officers are frequently faced with high levels of stress, the causes of the stress differ between the two groups with the job differences they face. Causes of Stress for Police Officers Stress factors for police officers can vary from pressures of the job, attitude of the public towards police officers, the operation of the criminal justice system, the law enforcement organization itself and the officers personal life. According to Burke and Mikkelsen (2005), police stressors fall into two major categories. The first category stems from the nature of the job, and the second category involves the organizational aspect of law enforcement. The stress of the job involves the physical aspects of the job and includes threats, use of force, exposure to violence and danger, dealing with uncertainty, shift rotations, inadequate or broken supplies, low pay, excessive overtime, and constant fear of injury or death. On the other hand, the organizational aspect of law enforcement that contributes to job stress involve the poor management, inflexible hierarchical structures, roles, inadequate communication, and organizational structure (Burke et al. 2005). In fact, Burke et al. ( 2005) discusses how the bureaucratic nature of the law enforcement organization obstructs police officers from feeling as if they have input in changing the policies sand procedures. There is also conflicting policies, poor supervision, and endless rules that create a tense and stressful work environment. McCarty, Zhao and Garland (2007) also discuss how job stress can differ between male and female police officers. For instance, female officers may be subject to gender discrimination from male officers and supervisors, which could increase their job related stress. Female officers also feel additional pressure that they have to prove themselves more on the job, as well as feel their male partners provide inadequate backup and question their abilities more frequently (McCarty et al., 2007) Additionally, individual stress factors can play a factor in a police officers stress levels due to their personal life. Some individual stress factors include family problems, financial problems, health problems, and taking on a second job for extra income. In fact, many officers are willing to put their health at risk for overtime or another job for the additional income (National Institute of Justice). Causes of Stress for Correctional Officers Correctional officers face some of the same and similar job stressors as police officers as well. Correctional officers have to deal with the never-ending demands of inmates. Correctional officers are also responsible for large array of responsibilities and duties to ensure the correctional facility is properly maintained in an organized manner. Aside from police officers, the workplace nonfatal violent incidents are higher per 1,000 employees for correctional officers than any other profession (Finn, 2000, p. 2). Additionally, according to Childress, Tallucci, and Wood (1999), while a correctional officer operates in a high stress work environment much like a police officer, there have been minimal examinations of the correctional environment in comparison to the voluminous research conducted on the causes and consequences of stress for law enforcement officers. However, it has been determined that some of the job related stresses include inmate demands, low pay, excessive overtime, poor public image, shift rotations, threat of violence, understaffing, amount of contact with inmates, role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload. The major forms of stress in the work environment can be categorized into organizational structure and job characteristics (Lambert, Hogan Allen, 2006). According to Lambert et al (2006), organizational structure deals with how an organization or agency is arranged, managed and operated, and it normally throughout the entire work environment and therefore influences all employees that work there. Lambert et al (2006) cite a study by Stohr, Lovrich and Wilson that the lack of participation in decision-making caused increased stress for correctional officers. Additionally, the lack of control over the work environment due to the centralization of decision-making can increase the levels of stress. In fact, Lambert et al (2006) performed a study at a Midwestern correctional facility that showed workers who perceived a lack of input into decision- making or a lack of job autonomy had increased levels of stress. Furthermore, lack of information or being kept in the dark is another stress factor for correctional staff caused by the organization structure. Inadequate communication about their jobs is major stress factor. Correctional staffs need clear communication about their tasks, jobs, and issues in order to complete their job and be an effective member of the organization (Lambert et al, 2006). Additional organization-related conditions that can cause increased stress for correctional officers are understaffing, mandatory overtime, understanding, and unreasonable demands. Finn (2000) describes how understaffing can create different types of stress such as lack of time to complete tasks, overload of work, apprehension, and inability to get time off (p. 12). Understaffing also causes the need for extensive overtime from the correctional staff. On the other hand, there are job characteristics that cause stress. Job characteristics are specific to certain jobs; therefore, they are not always found throughout the entire field. Job related stressors included the threat of inmate violence, inmate demands, and problems with coworkers. Lambert et al. (2006) identify some job characteristics as job variety, skill variety, role conflict, role ambiguity, task significance, task identity, and supervision. The roles that correctional officers have to assume can create considerable stress for the officer. According to Lambert et al (2006), role strain is liked to increased stress and role conflict occurs when behaviors for a given job or position are inconsistent with another. Correctional officers also face stress from outside sources other than the prison or jail that they work at. One cause of outside stress is their public image. A lot of the time correctional officers or prisons and jails in general are portrayed in a negative light. This negatively comes from the fact that many people do not know or understand the role and jobs of correctional officers. Sometimes this negatively even forces correctional officers to discuss or talk less about their jobs with others. Another outside source of stress is their pay. Correctional officers do tough work for little pay. Effects of Stress Stress, whether caused from job characteristics, organization factors, shift changes, or family problems, it affects everyone differently. A persons stress tolerance depends on the frequency, severity, types of stress, personal aspects, past experiences, personal values and attitude, sense of control, personality, residual stress level and state of health (Schmalleger Smykla, 2011, p. 321). Stress has great implications for anyone, and police officers as well as correctional staff are not immune to the effects of stress. According to R. Nauert (2008), pressures of the badge put officers at risk for high blood pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive stress hormones, heart problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. Additional effects of stress can be high suicide rates, mental and physical health issues and relationship problems. The National Institute of Justice (2009) states that enduring stress for long periods can lead to anxiety, depression or posttraumatic stress disorder in police officers. Posttraumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a type of anxiety disorder that can occur after someone has seen or experienced trauma. In fact, it is estimated that one-third of law enforcement in the United States suffer from PTSD. (Hess, 2009, p. 465) Symptoms of PTSD include diminished responsiveness to their environment, apathy, disinterest, pessimism, and diminished sex drive. (Hess, 2009, p. 465) Other mental health issues that stress can induce include increased mood swings, impaired judgment, decreasing an officers adaptability to certain situations, heightening an officers sense of threat, and increasing anxiety or depression (National Institute of Justice). Some of these feelings and mental issues could lead to even suicide or thoughts of suicide. According to Childress et al. (1999), the clinical supervisor of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Stress Unit stated that correctional officers are three times more likely to commit suicide than they are to be killed on the job. Increased suicidal thoughts are also another implication of stress in police officers. In his article, R. Nauert (2008) discusses the research conducted by John M. Violanti, Ph.D., a research associate professor at the University of Buffalo. Violanti conducted a clinical examination of the affects of stress and indicated that the data showed that 23 percent of male and 25 percent of female officers reported more suicidal thoughts than the general population (13.5 percent). (Nauert, 2008) Furthermore, Nauert (2008) indicated that Violantis previous study that he performed showed that suicide rates were three times higher in police than in other municipal worke r. This higher rate of suicide in law enforcement officers and correctional staff is alarming and shocking. In fact, according to Karen Hess (2009), police officers are eight times more likely to kill themselves than be a victim of homicide (p. 468). However, suicide and mental health problems are not the only adverse outcomes that stress from police work can induce. Physical health issues can arise from the constant stress that police officers experience. Some physical health issues that may develop from increased stress include weight gain, inability to relax, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, and damage to the cardiovascular system (National Institute of Justice). In fact, a study conducted by the University of Buffalo showed that officers over the age of 40 were at a higher 10-year risk for having a coronary event than the national average and 72 percent of female officers and 43 percent of male officers have a higher than recommended cholesterol level (Page, D. 2010). Additionally, Page (2010) states that police officers as a group showed higher than normal pulse rates and diastolic blood pressure. According to Lambert et al. (2006), correctional officers have higher risks of hypertension, heart attacks, and other stress- related illnesses. In fact, Check and Woodruff reported, correctional officers die far sooner than expected as compared to the national life expectancy, and stress is the leading reason for the shortened life expectancy. (as cited in Lambert et al., 2006) Emotional problems may also surface from the constant high levels of stress. Emotional problems could possible include increased irritability, feelings of tension, depression, and mood swings. Additionally, addictive behaviors such as gambling, overeating, or substance abuse may also emerge as a result of stress. Stress and the effects of stress can also lead to family problems for both law enforcement officers and correctional staff. Both of these professions sometimes feel distant from their family, are not open about their jobs, and stress with their families. Families themselves can also feel the effects of the stress with the long work hours, excessive mandatory overtime, and shift rotations, as well as also having the constant fear that something may happen to their loved one. Stress could also be a potential cause of the high divorce rates. The divorce rate for police officers is double the national average (Hess, 2009, p. 468). Correctional staff also have a higher than average divorce rate as well. In an interview with Officer Josh Taylor of the Escambia County Sheriffs Office, he discussed how the dissolution of his previous marriage was partly attributed to his occupation as a police officer. Police officers sometimes feel distant from their family and do not want to share all aspects of their jobs and stress with their family. The stress and effects of stress can exacerbate an already strenuous marital relationship to its breaking point. Burnout Job stress and burnout may be used interchangeably. However, they are two distinct and different terms. Lambert et al. (2010) define job burnout as the withdrawing emotionally, psychologically, and socially from the job, and generally results after prolonged exposure to stressors, including ob stress, and/or the removal of valued resources. According to Schmalleger and Smykla (2011), when stress reaches an unbearable level, burnout can occur. (p. 320) It is a physical and mental state that is caused by the severe strain and stress placed on the body (Burke, 2009). All with the effects of stress, the symptoms of burnout are gradual and differ from person to person. However, some symptoms of burnout may include lack of enthusiasms and interest, decreased job performance, short tempers, and loss of motivation (Hess, 2009, p. 466). Burnout can contribute to decline in work performance, withdrawal from others, and diminished work life. With the high levels of stress faced on a daily basis and the nature of their jobs, both law enforcement officers and correctional staff are susceptible to burnout. Burke et al. (2005) discusses the six areas of organizational life that is connected to burnout: workload, job control, rewards and recognition system, responsiveness to staff needs, respect and fairness, and fit of the individual and organizational values at work. Lambert et al. (2009, July) discusses Cherniss view on the three stages of burnout. The first stage involves an unfair distribution of work forces, demands and resources, resulting in an emotional and psychological strain on the worker. As a consequence of the strain for the worker, the next stage is where the strained worker treats co-workers and clients in an detached, impartial or insensitive manner. The final stage involves the strained worker feeling inadequate in dealing with others, retreating from others, and ultimately becoming detached, cynical and disengaged. Additionally, Maslach and Jackson (1981) argued that the three dimensions of burnout included emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of personal accomplishment and theorized that work related stressors and organizational factors were primary care for job burnout (as cited in Lambert, et al., 2009). In recent years there has been a small number of studies and research done on burnout n the criminal justice field. Lambert et al. (2009) discusses how research has examined whether personal characteristics were related to burnout, such as sex, age, position, tenure, education level, and race. According to Lambert et al. (2009), work environment factors, not personal characteristics, are more likely to contribute to burnout. In law enforcement officers, burnout can affect the quality of service provided by a police officer and his inter-personal relationships. Burke et al. (2005) reviewed a small number of studies that considered the impact of burnout on the job behaviors of police and other service providers. It was found that burned out police officers were more likely to demonstrate a more negative mood, react to civilians more negatively, have reduced problem-solving skills, and increased likelihood of using force (Burke et al, 2005). According to Jerry Carlton (2009, March), burnout is something that most in the law enforcement professional will experience at some point in their career. The dangers of burnout in police officers can be very real and dangerous for the individual with it affecting their job performance. For correctional staff, researchers have found that some of the same job stressors, such as perceived dangerousness of job, increased contact with inmates, role overload, role conflict and role ambiguity have all been linked to burnout of correctional staff (Lambert et al., 2009). Burnout is a huge problem in the corrections field. In fact, Lambert et al. (July 2009), report that correctional employees have higher levels of burnout than the levels found in the general population, even higher than police officers. A study by Lindquist and Whitehead (1986) showed that approximately 33% of Alabama correctional officers in their study were suffering from burnout ( as cited by Lambert et al., 2010). Additionally, a study by Hurst and Hurst (1997) demonstrated half of Kentucky correctional officers in their study were suffering from emotional exhaustion, a form of burnout (as cited by Lambert et al. 2010). Burnout is not only harmful for the correctional officer, but also the correctional agency or organization. Lambert et al. (July 2009) report that burnout can cause decreased work performance, withdrawal or reduced interaction with other employees, increased absenteeism, substance abuse and greater turnover. Lambert et al. (2009, July) performed a study on the burnout rates at a private Midwestern maximum-security facility to examine the associations between burnout and contact with inmates, role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and perceived dangerousness. In this survey, out of the 160 surveys that were completed, 18 percent responded that they felt burned out from their job, 26 percent responded they were emotionally drained to some degree at the end of the day from their job, 23 percent felt they had become insensitive to coworkers, 33 percent indicated they were less sympathetic, 13 percent felt they were not valued, and 12 percent felt they did not have positive influence (Lambert et al., 2009, July). According to this survey, tenure was the only one among the control variables that had a statistically significant relationship, and role ambiguity and overload also have a significant positive association with burnout for correctional staff (Lambert, et al. 2009, July). Lambe rt et al. (2009, July) suggests that the results show that correctional staff wants clearly defined roles and guidance and not to be overloaded in their assigned job tasks. Also, surprisingly perceived dangerousness of the job was not connected to burnout. According to Lambert et al. (2009, July), dangerousness may be expected ad perhaps may give some employees a sense of duty and even excitement rather than being stressed over it. Contact with inmates was also not found to have a noticeably connection to the study; however, Lambert et al. (2009, July) note that it could be the type of contact and the need for additional research to determined if it is associated with burnout. Furthermore, work-family conflict can lead or contribute to burnout. According to Lambert et al. (2010), work-family conflict involves the family/home life interfering with work and work life interfering with home life. Family on work conflicts involve conflicts that the family causes that impact work life, such as having a sick child to take care of or a conflict with a spouse. On the other hand, Lambert et al. (2010) describe work on family conflicts as having three different forms: time-based conflicts, strained-based conflicts, and behavior-based conflicts. Time-based conflicts occur when time demands for work interfere with home life and an individuals personal time. For instance, both correctional institutions and law enforcement require staffing 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays. They may also be required to work mandatory overtime. Strained-based conflicts occur when demands and tensions of work negatively affect the quality of the individ uals home life. When work behavior interferes with home life and is incompatible, behavior-based conflict occurs. For example, both law enforcement officers and correctional staff work roles require them to be suspicious of others and this may not be acceptable with family members and friends and can lead to conflict(Lambert et al., 2010). Lambert et al. (2010) notes that only a handful of studies have been conducted o examine the work-family conflict in correctional staff. Burnout not only negatively affects the individual, but also impacts co-works and the organizations themselves. It can cause decrease work performance, withdrawal or reduced interaction with co-workers, increased absenteeism, substance abuse, and frequent turnover (Lambert et al., 2009, July). In the end, burnout ends up costing the organizations additional funds. Burnout is not something that happens overnight, and in can be avoided with proper maintenance and care. Possible Solutions to Job Stress and Burnout Ideally, to address all the job stress and burnout for law enforcement officers and correctional staff would be to institute changes that would stop it from occurring or minimize it from happening. However, this is not always necessarily possible in their work environments and in the criminal justice field. With all of the implications and effects stress and burnout can have on law enforcement officers and correctional staff, there are several initiatives or solutions that have been pursued to help reduce or mitigate stress and burnout. Hess (2009) discusses some strategies for reducing stress and avoiding burnout that could be useful for both law enforcement officers and police officers (p. 466). Physical exercise, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, social outlets, relaxation techniques and time management are all ways to reduce stress and avoid burnout in these fields (Hess, 2009, p. 466). Many organizations are also starting to recognize the hazards of stress for both the individuals and the organizations. Stress-management programs are starting to be implemented; however, the individual must want to take charge of their own stress management to be successful. Additionally, both professions have taken different, but similar measures to address the issues of stress and burnout. Law Enforcement Officers Often law enforcement officers are not open or speak about their stress and how it may be affecting their lives. The National Institute of Justice notes an unspoken code of silence exists for police officers about the stress that comes with the job. With the nature of the work environment, it is sometimes hard to mediate and spot stress before it is too late. One of the keys to finding a potential solution for stress is looking for the warning signs. Ramos (2010) discusses how training for law enforcement personnel and their families is critical in addressing the problem of police suicide with teaching others how to look for the warning signs and risk factors. Law enforcement personnel and families should also be trained to identify the signs and factors of basic stress to combat that before it leads to issues that are more serious. Additionally, Ramos (2010) notes that agencies need to encourage officers to seek assistance from personal physicians, employee assistance programs, peer support and crisis intervention counselors. According to Burke (2009), a knowledge manager is the best prevent for burnout. Police managers should be trained to detect the subtle personality changes that could indicated a problem. Early detection could help to avoid the most serious affects of burnout and from burnout consuming the officer. Burke (2009) points out that it near impossible for every police manager to know every officer under his or her supervision to be able to detect all signs; however, a team concept would allow the police manager to educate team members about the signs and symptoms of burnout so that team members known how to properly respond when the signs are detected. It also helps provide an open field of discussion among the team members. Additionally, an article in Call and Post discusses how polices are using military techniques to combat on the job stress (Anonymous, 2008, October). It involves an innovative program to train police leadership to recognize and address stress through a unique collaboration between military combat stress experts and local police forces. Clevelands D ivision of Police, Case Western Reserve University, the Partnership for a Sager Cleveland the U.S. Department of Defense have partnered together to try to combat on the job stress (Anonymous, 2008, October). Supervisors and patrol officers are provided tri-fold laminated cards that have the warning signs of stress to help identify operational stress early on. Awards were adapted from the United States Military to acknowledge the officers as well. Medals shaped like dog tags, as well as bronze medals, are also used to reinforce the training and honor those that have participated in the program (Anonymous, 2008, October). Having available mental health and stress management programs to police officers can also be beneficial. According to Macmillan (2009), these programs need to be utilized more often, and the law enforcement field relies on three types of these programs: external, internal and hybrid. The external program involves an officer receiving treatment from an outside source. This allows the officer to keep anonymity. Internal programs are those that are ran from within the department or agency, and hybrid programs are a mixture of external and internal. In fact, Macmillan (2009) notes that departments and agencies can work around having limited funding for these programs with sharing the programs with other local government departments and agencies, such as with the fire department or paramedics. Macmillan (2009) also discusses the advantages of having peer counseling as an effective way to manage stress. Peer counseling programs allow officers with similar experiences and tensions to offer assistance and aid to follow officers who may be suffering from stress. Additionally, it is sometimes easier for officers to talk and share with fellow officers than a psychologist or therapist (Macmillan, 2009). Departments can also often obtain assistance with wellness through local health departments or through their insurance carriers at little to no costs (Anonymous, 2009). Sometimes police stress programs are not able to address the needs of a police officer or his or her family. Non-profit organizations such as the Central Florida Police Stress Unit, which have not affiliation with any police department or agency, can also be beneficial in dealing with stress. Organizations, such as the Central Florida Police Stress Unit, are established to help both law enforcement and their families deal with stress that is directly or indirectly associated with the law enforcement profession. This type of organization is great tool for officers and their families that want to maintain confidentiality and are fearful of speaking out or others learning of their problems. Central Florida Police Unit provides a range of services, and has licensed mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers and consulting police psychologist to help police officers and their families deal with a wide range of issues from marriage counseling to finan ce and retirement problems. Correctional Staff As with law enforcement officers, correctional staff are often not open about their stress and how it may be affecting their lives. In fact, correctional officers often deny that they are under stress in fear that it might be looked at unfavorably or make them seem weak (Schmalleger Smykla, 2011, p. 319). With the nature of the work environment, it is sometimes hard to notice and mediate stress before it is too late. One of the keys to finding a potential solution for stress is looking for the warning signs. Correctional personnel, their families, and co-works should be trained to identify the signs and factors of stress to combat it before it leads to issues that are more serious. According to an article written in Corrections Today, correctional agencies are losing money, losing good employees, and jeopardizing officer and public safety due to work-related stress. (Anonymous, 2007) Correctional officers should also be encouraged to seek outside assistance from p

Online Reporting, Discussion, Activism and Emerging Democracies :: Internet Blogs Communities Politics

Online Reporting, Discussion, Activism and Emerging Democracies In the rise to prominence of weblogs and other social software, Jim Moore and Joi Ito see a fundamental transformation in how people act, interact and make decisions. In essays first published in 2003 - Jim Moore's The Second Superpower Rears Its Beautiful Head[1] and Joi Ito's Emergent Democracy[2] - they paint hopeful, if sometimes vague, pictures of how Internet communities can show us techniques and tactics that could radically change real-world politics. Where I'm uncomfortable with both essays is the fact that they extrapolate from the behavior of the people currently using the Internet to make generalizations about how a larger world might use these tools. My work for the past few years, helping spread information technology in developing nations, has convinced me that technology transfer is much more complicated than bringing tools to people who previously lacked them. I think it's worth taking a close look at what happens when we try to include the developing world in the models Ito and Moore put forward - in other words, "Is there room for the third world in the second superpower?" Moore's Second Superpower suggests that a group of people are changing democracy by using a three-part model for social engagement - collect information, comment and debate, then act. These three steps are all being transformed by new technologies. While we continue to be informed by mass media, we're also getting information from alternative media, published cheaply on the Net, and from personal accounts in weblogs. We're debating and commenting in entirely new ways, enabled by weblogs, discussion groups, instant messaging and mailing lists. And we're discovering that these tools also make some forms of action more efficient: fundraising, protesting, and organizing face to face "meetups". Ito's Emergent Democracy focuses on the third, "action" phase, and suggests that forms of decision-making emerging from the world of weblogs might lead to a viable form of direct democracy. In the way that ideas percolate from personal networks, to social networks, to large, political networks, reinforced by positive feedback loops, Joi sees a possible path for decision-making to move from individual thinking to group action. While Moore and Ito have justifiable enthusiasm about the phenomena we're seeing emerge from interconnected communities - the growth of weblogs as an alternative to "mainstream" media, the success of grassroots campaigning in the United States - this enthusiasm needs to be tempered by some skepticism about who is currently using social software, and who has potential to use it.

Story Of An Hour :: essays research papers

The Story of an Hour depicts a single hour in Mrs. Mallard life, in which the lady who has a weak heart experiences the momentary joy of freedom after hearing that her husband has been killed in a railroad accident. Mrs. Mallard initial reaction, upon hearing of her husband death, is not far from what readers expect: she is deeply grieved, weeps and wants to be left alone. However, during the hour she spends alone in her room, her state of mind changes dramatically. Sitting in the armchair motionlessly, she sees spring trees from the open window, smells pure air after the gentle rain, hears a faint but pleasant song, even the patched clouds outside seem to be dispersing decently in the warm and powerful sunshine eventually. All these features imply that an unconscious wish in her heart is quietly but quickly expanding. At first, she feels something is approaching her, something almost tangible, which she is not sure about: t was too subtle and elusive to name. 71) However, from that moment on, her weeping ith sudden, wild abandonment disappears, he storm of grief goes away, she is turning to the situation where she has longed for. ree, free, free! 71) The first voice of protest breaks out after those tedious, miserable years. Now she realizes the feeling approaching her and possessing her occupies her entire soul and body: his possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being. Free! Body and soul free! 72) These unbelievably radical words show her enormous hunger for freedom, her strong wish to be herself again. Her husband sudden death has made her lifetime emotional torment come to an end, and she can be as free as a man now. On the other hand, Mrs. Mallard may cry again for the loss of her oving husband not only because of her gender role in the society, but for he still loves her and she herself had loved him as well. Moreover, the story does not tell us whether Mr. Mallard is an abusive or irresponsible husband, but this couple certainly strives for maintaining their unsatisfactory marriage. Besides, no love or security can compensate for a lack of control over her own existence (Skaggs, 53), let alone the fact that there is hardly any love in that fragile relationship.

Duke Players in NBA :: essays research papers

Mike Krzyzweski has sent the most players to the NBA in the past 15 years. As a matter of fact he has 15 ex-Blue Devils in the NBA. Danny Ferry was the first his players to graduate to the NBA. In 1989 he was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers, and in 2003 helped the San Antonio Spurs win a NBA title. Christian Laettner was second in line, he was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992, and recently retired in 2005 with the Miami Heat. Laettner wasn?t the only player from the 1992 championship team to branch off into the NBA Grant Hill came right behind him in 1994, when he became the 3rd overall pick in the NBA draft, after being drafted by the Detroit Pistons he was traded to the Orlando Magic, and still plays with them. In 1999 Coach K sent out his 1st, number one overall pick, when Elton Brand was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. Brand was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001, and is considered one of the NBA?s best players. In 2001 Shane Battier won the C ollege Player of the Year award, he also earned the 6th overall pick in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, he now plays for the Houston Rockets. Carlos Boozer is the first 2nd round selection of Coach K?s 15 NBA players. He was chosen 35th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he now plays for the Utah Jazz, and is one of the leagues top international players. Mike Dunleavy is one of three players from Duke to be chosen 3rd overall. In 2002 the Golden State Warriors selected, he currently plays with the Indiana Pacers. Dunleavy wasn?t the only player to depart from Duke in 2002, Jay Williams was his partner, going right before Dunleavy, and being the 2nd overall pick, for the Chicago Bulls. Chris Duhon became the second player to join Boozer in being a 2nd round selection in 2004 by the Chicago Bulls. Dahntay Jones is the only player who made it to the NBA that didn?t play his entire collegiate career with Duke. His childhood friend Jay Williams encouraged him to join the team after he had already been playing at Rutgers University. He was selected 20th overall in 2003 by the Boston Celtics, he presently plays with the Memphis Grizzlies. Along with teammate Elton Brand, Corey Maggette is also notable as one of the first Duke players under Coach K to leave before the end of his athletic eligibility.

Charging Sales Tax on Internet Purchases

Charging Sales Tax on Internet Purchases Internet purchases should not have sales tax because internet shopping is supposed to be convenient for the consumer. After doing some research online I came to an article called the Incidental Economist. After reading I too had to agree that your average home eBay seller and other individual small business whose profit is less than 10,000 dollars a year should not have to do the states job of pursuing a sales tax.Was not the sales tax already paid when the Reseller first bought the product? I feel it should be his or her own profit if they are selling things that once belonged to them or in order for the seller to acquire the product in the first place it had to be bought. I feel that this is another way for the state to capitalize on a double taxing loophole. On the other hand, there is a down-side to this. With technology evolving, more consumers are turning to the internet for the ease of shopping, bill paying, and other amenities.Imposing a sales tax could improve the economy of a state by using the money from the tax to mend roads, fund schools, and implement programs in the community. The state should be responsible for making sure that sales tax is enforced not the small business seller. The state should have some program that monitors transactions on the web to enforce such a law that would make paying sales tax hard to avoid. I also feel that this sales tax should be imposed on large retailers only.Your average homeowner who wants to get rid of a few things by selling them online should not be responsible for charging sales tax. To me this is very similar to charging sales tax at a yard sale; it just is not going to happen. Works Cited Stim, Richard. Sales Tax on the Internet – Free Legal Information – Nolo. 2010. 2010 . The Incidental Economist. The â€Å"Amazon Law†: Sales Tax on Internet Purchases. October 2009. October 2010 .